The future of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) must be based on more work-based learning where students have greater industry exposure and thus addresses the needs of the industry, director of TVET Coordinator Division, Department of Polytechnic and Community College, Ministry of Higher Education Dr. Shamsuri bin Abdullah said.
He said that aside from the conventional skills, they need to be conversant with soft skills, conventional skills which would make them more marketable and thus industry-relevant graduates.
“In the future, they would also need to entrepreneurial, technical and business skills that would make them not just marketable but also make them good employers that would be able to employ other TVET graduates, “he said during a presentation of a webinar entitled” Quality TVET Education for The Future- Supply and Demand Perspective” organised by the Jeffrey Sachs Centre and the Economic Planning Unit.
He said that in the future TVET graduates should also consider several emerging sectors such as the energy sector and organic tourism and ensure that they prepare themselves for the challenges in this sector.
Another speaker, Datuk Dr. Andy See Kian Haw who is the chairman of the Industry Committee of the Chinese Chamber Of Commerce and Industry of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor said that they were too many ministries involved with TVET and that it is best that it rationalises the ministries involved to ensure that that the government conserves its resources from spreading too thinly,
He said that considering many instructors in training institutions that provide TVET education lack professional experience, it should recruit experienced retired workers as adjunct lecturers to facilitate the learning process for TVET students.
In addition, it said that AI learning methods should also be used to facilitate the learning process as it would stir interest among the young and facilitate a faster learning process.
Director of Human Capital Development of the Economic Planning Unit Of the Prime Minister’s Department Luqman bin Ahmad said that the 12th Malaysia Plan had attempted to address the many problems facing TVET such as that it does not meet industry standards and that there are no proper instructors of experience in the various TVET programems.
He said that there should be more collaboration that is needed with the private sector to ensure that Malaysia produces quality graduates that meet industry standards.
